Timing apparatus for trolley-railway systems



No. 6|7,0I0. Patented Ian. 3, I899. H. GARRETT.

TIMING APPARATUS FOR TRDLLEY RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 189B.) L) 2 Sheets'-Sheet I.

m5 mums virus co, Pnmmumo, WASHINGTON. D. c.

Mo. 6|7,0|D. Patented Jan. 3, I899. H. GARRETT.

TIMING APPARATUS FOR TBOLLEY RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

(Application filed Apr. 19, 1898.)

,i al.) 2 Sheets- Sheet 2.

m: NORRIS PFIERS co.. wm-ommb" \msnmerom uv L.

Emma States are r Price.

HENRY GARRETT, OF DALLAS, TEXAS.

TIMING APPARATUS FOR TROLLEY-RAILWAY SYSTEMS.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 617,010, dated January 3, 1899.

Application filed April 19, 1898- Serial No. 678,155. (No model.)

[0 ctZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HENRY GARRETT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Dallas, in the county of Dallas and State of Texas, have i nvented a new and useful Timing Apparatus for Trolley-Railway Systems, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to improved apparatus for timing and tracing the position of electric trolley-cars with reference to each other onany particular line; and it has for its object to provide means in connection with an ordinary time-clock for automatically keeping check on the cars operating on the various lines during the entire time the same are running and indicating at the main operating-oflice whether the cars are on time in passing a particular point on the line and, if late, the correct time of such lateness in order that accurate knowledge may be had at all times of the movement of the cars.

\Vith these and other objects in view, which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated,and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a general perspective plan view of the complete timing apparatus, showing a section of one trolleyline and the proper applied position of the trolley circuit-closer thereon. Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan View of the indicating and alarm mechanism used in connection with the time-clock, the central portion of the clock-dial being cut out to expose the operating connections for the indicating-hands of the mechanism. Fig. 3 isa detail sectional view showing the friction-hub connection between each indicating-hand and the gear stem or spindle. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the trolley circuit-closer, showing the two positions thereof. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail view of the crank-plate and alarm circuit-closer for each indicating-pointer.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 designates an ordinary timeclock having-the usual case 2, the main timedial 3, and the ordinary hour and minute hands; but in carryingout the present invention it is preferable that the clock mechanism for operating the clock-hands be of the self-winding type in order that there may be no interruption to the operation of the apparatus for correctly indicating the positions of the cars on the lines having connection with the indicating mechanism.

In the present invention the arbor for the minute-hand of the clock preferably has fitted thereto a gear-wheel 4:, which, through the medium of suitable interposed gears 5, provides for transmitting motion to the pointergears 6, suitably mounted within the clockcase in rear of the dial 3, each of said pointergears 6 serving to swing in one direction an indicating hand or pointer 7. There is an indicating pointer or hand used for each trol ley-line, and while only two indicating-pointers are illustrated in the drawings, for the sake of clearness, it will be understood that other pointers could be grouped around the gear 4:, according to the number of trolleylines which it might be desired to keep check upon in connection with a single clock. Each indicating-pointer carries at a point near one extremity a split hub or sleeve 8, having a frictional slip fitted on the stem or spindle 8 of the gear 6 for moving the pointer, said hub or sleeve 8 fitting the gear stem or spindle sufficiently tight so that the rotation of the gear 6 will provide for swinging the pointer in one direction, while at the same time permitting the latter to be mechanically swung back to its starting-point automatically in a manner to be presently described.

Since the operation of all of the pointers, whether one, two, or more are employed in connection with a single clock, is precisely the same, a specific description of one pointer and its operation will suffice, and by reference particularly to Fig. 2 of the drawings it will be seen that each of the indicating-pointers '7 is designed to swing over a separate indicating-dial 9 placed on the face or main dial of the clock 1. This dial 9 is arranged on an arc of a circle concentric with the axis of the pointer or hand playing thereover and is preferably marked off or divided into minutespaces, one end of said dial being conveniently marked Passing, or by any equivalent word, to indicate the starting-point of the pointer 7 immediately after a car has passed the designated point on the line. The opposite portion of the dial is provided with a separate group of minute-spaces to indicate lateness, at any of which late minute-spaces it may be arranged for an alarm to sound to call attention to the lateness, as will be hereinafter referred to.

In order to provide for swinging each indieating-pointer 7 back to the starting-point on its dial 9 the pointer has connected to its inner end, at one side of its connection with the gear stem or spindle, one end of a wire or similar connection 10, the other end of which connects with a crank plate or lever 11, having a metallic pivot connection 12 with the base of the clock. The said crank plate or lever 11 also has connected therewith one end of an operating-wire or similar connection 13, the other end of which wire or similar connection 13 is connected with the movable core l-t of a solenoid 15, conveniently arranged within the clock-case below the dial and time mechanism, said movable core 14 of the solenoid being normally held elevated to an inactive position by means of a retractile spring 16, connected atone end thereto and at its other end to a fixed point of attachment, as at 17. There is a solenoid for each indicating-hand and trolley-line, and in connection with the means for swinging the indicatinghand back to a starting-point over its dial 9 there is em ployed a circuit-closer for an alarm, which calls attention to any unusual lateness of a particular car on the line.

The circuit-closer referred to is the signal or alarm circuit-closer, and the crank plate or lever 11 preferably forms one of the circuit-closcr contacts and is provided at one extremity thereof with a contact foot or pro jection 18, arranged directly opposite and adapted to contact with a contact-screw 19, adj ustably mounted in a supporting-bracket 20, fitted within the clock-case and insulated from the metallic base thereof. The said supporting-bracket 20 for the adjustable contact-screw 19 has a circuit-wire connection a therewith, which circuit-wire connection is common to the circuit-closer contacts 19 for all of the indicating-pointers, whether there be two or more of such pointers employed with the clock, and the said circuit-wire connection a for the contact-screw 19 includes in a circuit with a common return-wire b the electric signal or alarm bell 21, the battery 22, and an ordinary switch 23 for cutting in and out the alarm-circuit. It will be obvious that when an indicating-pointer 7 reaches any predetermii'led graduation or mark on the late portion of its dial 9 the contact 18 will engage with the opposing screw 19, and thereby close the alarm-circuit, so as to cause a ringing of the bell 21, so as to indicate to the operator at the oflice the unusual lateness of the car. By adjusting the contactscrew 19 the apparatus may be set to sound an alarm at any predetermined lateness of the car on a particular line.

To provide for the completion of the bell or alarm circuit the common return-Wire I) is connected with the metallic base of the clock, which is included in circuit with the crank plate or lever 11 for each indicating-pointer.

Each solenoid 15 within the clock-case has one of its terminals connected with a common ground-wire c, in the circuit of which may be placed a number of resistance-lamps L, and the other terminal of each solenoid has a direct wire connection d with the trolley circuitcloser 24, arranged on the trolley-line at any predetermined point which may be conveniently reached in case of trouble or stoppage of the system.

The trolley circuit-closer 24 essentially coinprises a pivotal trip-arm 25, made of wood or other suitable non-conducting material and arranged longitudinally above the trolley line or wire 26. The pivotal insulated trip-arm 25 is preferably supported in a proper working position by means of the pivotal or hinge connection 27 between one end of the same and an ordinary hanger-block 28 for the trolley-Wire. As illustrated in the drawings, the hanger-block 28 is of the ordinary type, carrying the hanger-plate 29, to which the trolleywire is secured, and being supported in position above the railway-track by means of the usual span-wire 30, fastened to the supporting-poles 31. The ordinary hanger for the trolley-wire therefore forms the most convenient support for the circuit-closer trip-arm 25, and in its normal position the end portion of the trip-arm 25 adjacent to the hanger-block 28 rests directly on and is supported by the hanger-plate 29 for the trolley-wire, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 4 of the drawings. To provide for having the trip-arm 25 normally inactive, the same is provided in its under side with a longitudinal Wire-groove 32, which extends nearly the entire length thereof andis in line with the hanger-plate 29, so as to receive therein the trolley-wire, and by reason of the trip-arm 25 normally hanging in an inclined position and resting on one end of the hanger-plate 29 the trolley-wire 26 lies on the base of said wire-groove and out of contact with the arched contact-plate 33, fastened to the under side of the trip-arm 25 near the unhinged end thereof and spanning the said wiregroove. The said arched contact-plate 33 has connected thereto one terminal of the wire (Z, which connects with the solenoid 15 for the particular line from which the said wire (Z leads.

Assuming that a car on one line has just passed the trolley circuit-closer 24, the indicating-hand 7 for such line will commence to travel from the point Passing on its dial and will indicate the number of minutes elapsing before the next succeeding car reaches the circ uit-closerstation or point, and if this car is on time when it reaches such station or point the circuit-closer for the bell or alarm circuit will still be inactive, so that as the car passes along, its trolley will ride off of the hanger-plate 20 of the trolley-hanger directly on the pivotal trip-arm 25 and will elevate such trip-arm to a position which carries the arched contact-plate 33 against the trolley-Wire 26, thereby completing a circuit through the Wire d, the solenoid 15, and the common ground-wire c for all of the solenoids. The completion of this circuit causes an energization of the solenoid and a consequent attraction of the movable core 14. This movement of the core against the tension of the spring 16 will oscillate the crank plate or lever 11 in a direction which causes the indicating-pointer 7 to swing back to the starting-point on its dial 9. This operation takes place without interfering with the time mechanism, as the hub or sleeve of the pointer will slip on the stem or spindle of the gear 6 for the pointer.

In the event of lateness of a car in reaching the trolley-circuit-closer station the indicating-pointer 7 for a particular line will indicate the amount of lateness on the late portion of the dial and will continue to move until the alarm or bell circuit is closed in the manner previously explained. By this means the operator at the main office or station is able to have full knowledge of the movement and time of all cars on the lines having connections with the apparatus, and through the medium of the time-table of the trolley system may readily determine the number of the car whose lateness has been indicated.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, and many advantages of the herein-described apparatus will readily appear to those skilled in the art without further description, and I will have it understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a timing apparatus of the class described, the combination with the ordinary time mechanism, of a continuously-active oscillatory indicating-pointer having an operative connection with said time mechanism, and normally moved therebyin one direction, an indicating-dial arranged Within theplane of movement of the pointer, electrically-controlled means for returning the pointer to its initial position, and a normally open hell or alarm circuit automatically closed by an abnormal movement of said pointer, substantially as set forth.

2. In a timing apparatus of the class described, the combination with the ordinary time mechanism, of a continuously-active oscillatory indicating-pointer having an operative connection with said time mechanism and normally moved thereby in one direction,

an indicating-dial arranged on an arc of av circle concentric with the axis of the pointer,

a normally open circuit-closer for the trolley line, and electrically-controlled means, included in a circuit with said circuit-closer, and having connection with the oscillatory pointer to provide for automatically returning the pointer from the position to which it is advanced by the time mechanism to its initial point of movement, substantially as set forth.

3. In a timing apparatus, of the class described, the combination with an ordinary clock and the mechanism thereof, of a continuously-active oscillatory indicating-pointer having a slip-gear connection with the clock mechanism, a segmental indicating-dial arranged within the plane of movement of said pointer and independent of the clock dial and hands, electrically-controlled operating connections for automatically swinging the pointer from the position to which it is advanced by the clock mechanism to its initial point of movement, and means, operated by a passing car, for setting said electrically-com trolled operating connections in action, sub stantially as set forth.

4. In a timing apparatus, of the class described, the combination with an ordinary clock and the mechanism thereof, of a continuously-active oscillatory indicating-pointer having a slip-gear connection with the clock mechanism, an indicating-dial arranged within the'plane of movement of said pointer, electrically-controlled means for returning the pointer to its initial position, and set into action by a passing car, and a normally open hell or alarm circuit automatically closed by an abnormal movement of said pointer, substantially as set forth.

5. In a timing apparatus of the class described, the combination with an ordinary clock and the mechanism thereof, an indicating device having a continuously-active 0scillatory pointer operated in one direction by the clock mechanism, electrically-controlled mechanism for automatically swinging said pointer in the opposite direction, and a normally open circuit-closer for the trolley-line included in a circuit with said electricallycontrolled mechanism, substantially as set forth.

6. In a timing apparatus of the class described, the combination with an ordinary clock and the mechanism thereof, of a continuously active oscillatory indicating pointer having a slip-gear connection with the clock mechanism, and moved in one direction thereby, a separate dial for the indicating-pointer, a solenoid having an operating connection between its movable core and one end of the pointer to provide for throwing the latter back from the position to which it is advanced by the clock mechanism, a pivotal plate or lever interposed in the line of connection between the core and pointer and having a contactpoint, an adjustable contact-screw arranged in opposition to said contactpoint, a bell or alarm circuit including therein said cont-acts,

and a normally open circuit-closer for the trolley-line included in a circuit with said solenoid, substantially as set forth.

7. In a timing apparatus of the class described, the combination With the ordinary clock and the mechanism thereof, of an indicating device having a continuously-active oscillatory pointer operated in one direction by the clock mechanism, electromagnetic mechanism for moving the pointer back from the position to which it is advanced by the clock mechanism, and the trolley circuitcloser com prising a pivotal trip-arm arranged to normally rest on top of the trolley-Wire, said arm being provided in its under side With a longitudinal wire groove, and an arched contact-plate spanning said groove and the wire therein, and having a circuit-Wire connection With said electromagnetic mechanism, substantially as set forth.

8. In a timing apparatus of the class de scribed, the combination with the indicating device having electromagnetic controlling mechanism, of a trolley circuitcloser comprising a pivotal trip-arm arranged to normally rest on top of the trolley-wire, and provided in its under side with a longitudinal Wire groove, and an arched contact plate spanning said groove and the wire therein, and having a circuit-Wire connection With said electromagnetic controlling mechanism, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

HENRY GARRETT. 

